By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac promised to provide continued assistance to eight Filipino seafarers repatriated from Malaysia, whom he met at DMW’s Central Office in Mandaluyong City on Monday, April 21.
They were the crew members of vessel MT Krishna 1, who were detained in Kota Tinggi, Malaysia, due to alleged violations of Malaysian immigration laws and regulations.
Eventually, they were released through the coordinated efforts of the Philippine Embassy in Malaysia and the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Kuala Lumpur.
Upon their arrival in the Philippines, the seafarers have received financial assistance from DMW, along with vouchers from the Technical Education, Skills, and Development Authority (TESDA), in a bid to equip them with skills training to explore other job opportunities.
The repatriation of the seafarers is in line with the proactive measures taken by DMW in accordance with the mandate of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure the safety and well-being of overseas Filipino workers, which are considered as the “new heroes” of the nation.
Meanwhile, the DMW will also conduct its own investigation of the licensed manning agency (LMA) and the shipowner, in terms of finding out the circumstances that led to the detention of 8 Filipino seafarers, and whether adequate protective measures were undertaken.
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